President John Dramani Mahama has appointed development professional Emelia Affi Agbenyo as Deputy Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), bringing her experience in skills development, gender transformation and public sector administration to the leadership of Ghana’s electoral management body.
She will serve alongside Dr Joseph Kweku Asamoah, a law lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and a former Director of Finance at the EC. The two appointees are scheduled to be sworn into office this afternoon.
Ms Agbenyo’s appointment stands out for her professional background in inclusive development, policy design and multi-stakeholder partnerships, areas that have shaped her work in Ghana’s technical and vocational education and training (TVET) sector.
Until her appointment, she served as Deputy Director for Operations at the Ghana TVET Service, where she has been involved in skills development and initiatives aimed at expanding economic opportunities for women and other underserved groups.
Her professional experience spans Inclusive TVET, skills and enterprise development, international development cooperation and gender transformation.
She has led skills development projects that equipped women with employable skills in traditionally male-dominated trades, co-authored Ghana’s first Disability and Gender Inclusive TVET manual and conducted gender analyses for various development agencies.
Her career has also involved engagements with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Small Grant Project, the then Council for Technical and Vocational Education, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the German development agency GIZ.
These experiences have exposed her to policy implementation, institutional collaboration and development programming, skills that could inform her contribution to the EC’s administrative and operational responsibilities.
Dr Asamoah, meanwhile, brings institutional knowledge and technical experience from his previous service at the Electoral Commission.
Before becoming a lecturer at KNUST, he occupied several positions at the Commission, including Director of Finance, Director of the Training Centre and Head of Audit.
His experience in the Commission’s financial management, training and auditing functions is expected to provide an institutional perspective as the electoral body prepares for its future responsibilities.
The appointments follow the departure of two former deputy chairpersons, Dr Bossman Asare and Samuel Tettey.
Dr Asare, who was responsible for Corporate Affairs, resigned with effect from July 31, 2026, while Mr Tettey, who oversaw Operations, left office upon reaching the mandatory retirement age.
The appointments are expected to fill the resulting vacancies and restore the Commission’s full complement of deputy leadership.
The Electoral Commission plays a central role in Ghana’s democratic governance, with responsibility for organising public elections and referenda and safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process.
Ms Agbenyo’s transition from the TVET and development sector to electoral administration represents a new phase in her public service career, while Dr Asamoah’s return to the Commission’s leadership brings experience from within the institution.
Their effectiveness will ultimately be measured by their contribution to the Commission’s institutional capacity, operational efficiency and public confidence in Ghana’s electoral system.
President Mahama has accordingly sworn them into office.
By: Christian Kpesese
